Dear Farm Community -

Welcome to the beginning of the season that makes us all go a little kookoo It’s a fun, wonderful, and brutal season on the farm. Summer is when we have the most fun, work the hardest, bring in the biggest harvests, grow some of the best food, and get the closest to mass insanity. We wouldn’t trade it for anything.

As we step into a new summer season, the farm is also transitioning into a season of goodbyes. This summer, we will be saying farewell to three of our beloved managers, Anna, Emma, and Alex, as they move on to new and exciting chapters of their lives.

Something that makes Diamond Hill Farm so special is the connection we make on this land. It makes sense to groan at the idea of your workplace being a “family,” but maybe it’s a little different, and a little truer, when the work you’re doing is growing nourishing food and beautiful flowers alongside each other. Our “farm-ily” celebrates the seasons together, along with the triumphs, disappointments, accomplishments, significant life events, holidays, birthdays, and so much more, in such a sweet and intentional way.

People take their first steps onto the farm as one version of themselves and, over the years, grow into someone more capable, confident, connected, knowledgeable, wise, loving, and reflective. Something about this soil, and working it alongside other people seeking a meaningful life and purpose, creates some very deep bonds. So while it’s incredibly sad to see some of our most beloved people go, we are also incredibly excited for the opportunities they are pursuing.

Last Friday marked the beginning of our long goodbyes. Field manager Anna’s last day was celebrated with plenty of cake, a toast, a “yearbook” that we all signed, a gigantic container of M&M’s, and more than our fair share of tears.

Anna has been part of the farm for four and a half years and stepped beautifully into the role of field manager nearly three years ago. She has been instrumental in fine-tuning our irrigation, managing our soil quality, keeping eyes on all that’s growing, becoming an expert on the John Deere, holding the honorary and never-utilized title of “HR manager,” and bringing a ridiculously fun, thoughtful, irreplaceable energy to our motley crew of farmers. She leaves us with a zillion memories of her hijinx in our hearts.

As Anna heads to the West Coast for new beginnings, please enjoy this newsletter yearbook of sorts, and join us in wishing her all of our best. We love you so much, Anna!

While we harvested our first pint of cherry tomatoes last week, they’re still coming in at a trickle. Soon enough, the flood will arrive. But this week, we hope you’ll take a moment to appreciate the springy crops that are here now, and that tend to fade once the summer heat settles in, like the kale or chard in your shares! This delicious recipe for Spicy Kale and Coconut Fried Rice brings big flavors to a vegetarian dish. If you’re looking for a hearty kale-based salad look no further than this Just-Keeps-Getting-Better Kale and Lentil Salad that packs a ton of plant-based protein with lentils in the mix. Pro tip: I add a handful of golden raisins at the end for a sweet and savory vibe and it is excellent. Your chard can make an excellent and healthy breakfast bowl or frittata! As a reminder, we have a whole host of recipe resources on the Recipes page of our website ~ whenever you’re not sure what to cook, head on over and get inspired. Whatever you cook this week, we hope you have fun and enjoy it fully.

To a season of abundance!
Diamond Hill Farmers

the secret ingredient is love, btw

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